THE WOES OF THE BRITISH DOCTOR.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 309, 5 November 1910, Page 3

THE WOES OF THE BRITISH DOCTOR.

A very pessimistic view of the future of the profession of medicine in the United Kingdom is taken by a writer in a recent number of the "British Medical Journal." He opens with the statement that of late years everything has tended to make medicine a desirable career only for those who either hav« such a leaning towards the occupation that they are prepared to content themselves with a bare living or who like work of a scientific kind and are independent of its .financial outcome. He gives several reasons for the decline of medicine as a lucrative profession, and amongst thsm he includes the increase in the number of general practitioners at a greater proportionate rate than the increase of population, producing a stress of competition which has produced a tendency to lower fees, despite a marked increase in working expenses , and taxation. The writer states that many doctors have been compelled to reduce their charge for a visit and medicine from 5s to 2s Gd, while there is a notorious increase in the number of "sixpenny doctors." He contends also that the falling of the birth-rate in the United Kingdom to 26.3 per 1000 bears a serious aspect to the medical profesison, as not only are there fewer confinements to attend to, but, also fewer babies who re quire medical attention. "Counter prescriptions" by chemists and the enormous increase in the use of quack remedies, pills and tablets, are also cited as factors which decrease the general practitioner's chance of earning a livelihood, while the growth of badly paid club practices and the abuse of hospitals by persons quite able to afford private attendance are also blamed. The writer also states that there has been a marked decrease in the need for medical attendance, especially in the zymotic diseases, which formerly gave the doctors a great deal of work. It is asserted that no other profession or trade has to contend with so large a proportion of bad debts and it is suggested that, should a young doctor press for payment of an account, his debtor is liable to retaliate with charges of incompetence and neglect which may ruin his chance of obtaining practice. The general conclusion is that, so long as a medical training occupies its present period of about seven years, with an expenditure of not less than £IOOO, the game is hardly worth the candle.